The Great Complainer
by char0lastra
Summary: Miko engages a very irate Ratchet about what will happen should she ever return to Japan forever. When Christmas vacation rolls around, though, her acceptance withers away almost immediately, and Ratchet puts her in her place.
1. I

Watching Ratchet pore over some technological this-or-that was boring. Even more so when one had a heavily weighted conscience. With Optimus and Bumblebee out training, and Jack and Arcee out doing who knew what, Miko was glad to have Bulkhead and Raf to keep her company. That was, until Raf's mother called to reveal a surprise dentist appointment (apparently she'd forgotten about it and only just remembered) and Bulkhead volunteered to drive him home.

Raf's mom reminded Miko of her dad, he was like that; always forgetting things and, worse yet, insisting he write and speak to her in English, which often caused a great deal of confusion between them. Dear old dad never seemed to catch on, though, even after she would reply in Japanese.

Miko smiled a little, thinking of her parents. And then her heart leapt into her throat as Ratchet dropped something big and metallic. Rolling her eyes to the ceiling and stifling a sigh so much so that it was only half as annoying as usual, she gripped the metal stair railing tightly and leaned back, lazily stretching her legs.

"You don't need to be here, you know," Ratchet bluntly reminded, focusing on, for what must have been the thousandth time, the Land Bridge. "You could have easily accompanied Bulkhead and Rafael."

Ignoring his snippiness, Miko said with forced enthusiasm, "Are you kiddin'? I love…whatever it is you're doing."

A bark of sinister laughter escaped Ratchet. "You couldn't even _begin_ to understand what it is I am doing," he told her. "Even if you had a billion megacycles to learn. It is far too complicated for your kind."

"Egocentric much?" Miko said, making a face similar to what eating a lemon would evoke. She rolled her eyes and hopped down from the railing.

"Merely stating a fact." Ratchet's expression was blank as he turned away, but Miko didn't need one to know just what he meant; she knew him too well.

To busy herself until Bulkhead returned, she considered doing a solo race on the game console, but quickly decided against it. Instead, she casually walked up beside Ratchet, resting her elbows on a control panel, which he swatted away with a giant finger. "Off," he commanded.

"Aw, come on. Anything I can do to help?"

"You may assist me by sitting quietly in a corner somewhere."

Hint ignored, Miko reached for a few spare wires and held them out of his way. "What's got you in such a good mood?" Ratchet only snorted in reply; how she wasn't exactly sure. "Well, if you won't talk- can I ask you something?"

"I know little of human anatomy," Ratchet said automatically in a bored monotone. "If you're malfunctioning, you should take it upon yourself to see a human medic."

"It's not about that!"

Heaving a great sigh, Ratchet's large metallic shoulders slumped. "Miko, can't you see that I'm working? This is very important."

"Well, so is this," she told him, facial features settled in a look of offense. She held her palm in the air high above her head for him to see. "Five seconds! Come on!"

"Fine. What is it?" He paused, his optics narrowing and zooming in on her face. Whether he genuinely cared or was only feigning it to get her to leave him alone, it did not matter. The fact that he was listening was amazing enough.

Miko suddenly felt extremely foolish. She lowered her eyes to the ground, her stance becoming unsure. "Well…It's Bulkhead. All of you, really; but mainly the big guy. I was thinking, the other night, while eating dinner with my host family…"

"Does this story have a point?" Ratchet grumbled.

"If-" When, she told herself. "When, I go back to Tokyo, d'you think he'll be okay?"

And before properly processing his words, he replied, "okay? He's an autobot for scraps sake. He'll soldier on." Only when he picked up his tools again did he seem to make the connection; her shocked and then sad eyes, and the moody, un-Miko-like silence that followed. He stiffened up, listening to her retreating footsteps. "Ahem."

"What?" she asked, the life zapped from her voice.

"What I said-may not have been received correctly."

"Or maybe you just said it wrong," she suggested.

"No, no," he stammered, growing more irate with each passing klik. His words came halted and rough. "I didn't intend-you have obviously left a mark on Bulkhead, and without you I don't think he would be the same."

The change in her entire attitude was instantaneous; ridiculous, really. She practically threw herself at his foot, smudging her greasy little human hands all over his paint. His first instinct was to back away, but for fear of accidentally squishing her (Bulkhead would never forgive him), he remained motionless. "Aw, that's so sweet, doc. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do when I'm done here you know? Say goodbye and go home forever, or come back and stay here? Actually, I'm still not sure what I want to do. But you guys are just so cool. I don't think I could say goodbye forever. I think I'd die!"

Mustering up all the indifference he could, Ratchet asked, "Are you through yet?"

"You guys are like family."

He gazed down at her. "Miko, this was much longer than five seconds."

Miko cleared her throat and backed away, hands at her hips. She raised an eyebrow at him as he resumed work, a smirk in the corner of her mouth. "You know, usually when someone says something like that, you're supposed to say something nice back."

"You will _never_ leave me in peace, will you?" Ratchet turned to her, a peculiar tone to his voice that sounded very much like a whine. Miko stood her ground; hip jutted out and foot tapping. He decided to work on something else. "You…" He frantically searched for words of some sense. "Are _very_ annoying!"

Before she could reply, Jack and Arcee sped up the tunnel, followed by Bulkhead. She waved to Jack as he dismounted Arcee and she transformed. "Don't say anything to Bulkhead, okay? I don't want him to worry." She looked over her shoulder while on her way to join them. "Oh, and I'd miss you, too."

Ratchet sighed and pretended to ignore her. It was all he could do to keep from lobbing something at her. He looked pointedly at Bulkhead, who flinched at his voice. "Good, you're back. Take her and go somewhere, preferably somewhere far, far away! Humans. So unnecessarily emotional and needy."

* * *

><p>I am an official Transformers noob. I saw the movies, got hooked, and decided to start on Transformers Prime, since it's the most recent 'toon. In case you couldn't tell, I absolutely love Ratchet, he's one of my top favorites (at least this version). He reminds me a lot of DeForest Kelley's Leonard McCoy, all crotchety-like and yet adorable at the same time. Hopefully I haven't butchered anything too badly, and if you'll have me, TFP fandom, I'd like to eventually write a few more fics.<p> 


	2. II

Miko's agitated cry alerted the entire base of her bad mood; the slamming of Bulkhead's side door only further enforcing it. She stormed up the tunnel, as Bulkhead transformed and hurried after her, shaking snow from his parts.

Ratchet, Optimus, and Arcee looked up from a conversation with Jack and Raf just as Miko climbed up the stairs, walked over to the sofa, and threw herself down onto it with a soft 'mph!'

"Something wrong?" Arcee asked, glancing down at Jack, who shrugged.

"Search me," he replied. "She say anything to you, Raf?"

The boy shook his head, and then fixed his glasses. "Nothing."

Bulkhead approached her as she sulked on the sofa, head down and arms crossed, eyes narrowed dangerously. "Miko, please, don't pout."

She grumbled, "not pouting."

"If that's not pouting, then what is it?"

Miko's frown only deepened as she thought. "It's my face," she answered grumpily, and then let out another annoyed groan. "This isn't fair!"

Ratchet winced and clamped a hand over his audio sensors. "Not so_ loud!_"

He and Raf stayed back when Optimus and Arcee and Jack went to see what was the matter. During one of Ratchet's long winded speeches about respect for others, Bumblebee sped up the entrance ramp, transformed, and skidded to a stop mere inches from Raf. He turned to greet Raf, but when he noticed everyone crowded around Miko, produced a series of curious beeps and chirps.

"She's upset about something," Raf quietly explained, to which Bumblebee replied with a low, long noise, resembling the sound '_ahhhh_.'

"Shocking," Ratchet said crassly.

Raf cocked an eyebrow and gave him a stern look that he ignored.

"What seems to be the problem, you two?" Optimus asked, perfectly mirroring Arceee's questioning gaze.

Bulkhead sighed. He began to speak. "She's upset because-"

"Ok," Miko announced, slightly bouncing on the sofa as Jack sat next to her. "Get this. My mom and dad want me to come home for Christmas vaca."

Optimus and Arcee stared, waiting for more information.

"So?" Arcee said.

"So? So that means two weeks in Japan." Her brown eyes zipped from Arcee, to Optimus, and then to Bulkhead. "With my parents!"

Arcee put a hand on her hip as Bumblebee, Raf, and Ratchet (pulled along by Bumblebee) joined their little circle. "I still don't see what the problem is."

MIko waved her hands in the air. "Hello! The problem is that I'll be in _Japan_, not here, helping kick 'con butt!"

"It's only two weeks," Bulkhead told her.

"And I thought you told me you had 'two loving parents'?" Jack inquired, holding his palm to the ceiling.

"I also said they were boring!"

Everyone briefly looked over to Bumblebee, listening while Raf translated. It was such a common occurrence now that there was no need to start with '_he said_'. "Still, you haven't seen them in almost a whole year. Don't you miss them?"

"A little bit," Miko revealed, shrugging some. "I guess."

"Tut," Ratchet began, standing alert to show his true height, something that could be received as slightly intimidating. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound? Sniveling over something so irrelevant!"

"Now hold on, Ratchet," Optimus cut in, lifting a big metal hand to stop him.

"Hold on nothing, Prime. Bemoaning having to spend two measly weeks with her parents." He scoffed. "We're nowhere _near_ our home. Nearly everyone we've ever known is offline. For Primus sake, show some_ tact._"

This time it was Arcee who spoke. "Speak for yourself," she replied in a cold voice.

The anger left his voice almost immediately, replaced with something that nearly resembled atonement. "Ah, I'm too old for this." He made a dismissing sound, shook his head, and marched off.

Optimus said, "You will have to excuse Ratchet. The war was hard on him. He sometimes says things without thinking."

A short, pregnant silence followed, that Bumblebee interrupted with a quiet chirp of agreement.

But the medics harsh words didn't seem to have the anticipated effect on Miko. Instead of angry, she looked crestfallen. "No, he's right," she answered quietly. "I didn't even stop to think about you guys."

"Didn't have to be such a jerk about it," Jack pointed out with a shrug, "but that's Ratchet."

"I've been trying so hard to fit in here and forget Japan, it's like I almost forgot that they're my parents. Two weeks is nothing when you've been away almost a whole year. Or half a lifetime," she finished, looking from bot to bot.

"So, you'll go?" Bulkhead asked.

Looking completely renewed, Miko stood and patted her back pockets gently. "Guess so. At least I'll get to see my cats," she commented, adapting to the new decision with a lighter, more reserved attitude. "Do you think...Do you think I should go apologize to Ratchet?"

Optimus thought for a moment and said, "perhaps later."

"Okay..."

"I wish I could go to Japan," Raf said. "I bet it's awesome."

Miko shrugged. "You get used to it. I'll bring you back something!"

"Wow, cool. Thanks!"

"I'll bring _everyone_ back a souvenir! Buuuut you guys have to make me a promise." Bumblebee curiously beeped. She slid a hand into her pocket and retrieved her phone, holding it up to Bumblebee, who gingerly took it between two giant fingertips, optics nervously zooming in on it. He looked to Optimus and then Arcee, confused. "One of you needs to take some awesome pictures, if anything happens."

Bumblebee quickly straightened up and saluted, causing Jack and Raf to laugh.

"Hey, how come he gets to do it?" Bulkhead whined. "She's my human."

"Why are you leaving your phone with us, anyway?" Jack asked. "The only time we're in trouble is when you can't follow orders. And you'll be gone for two weeks, so..."

"Maybe I'd better do it," Raf volunteered, holding his hand out for the phone. "You guys might break it." Bumblebee protested loudly, protecting the phone as though his very life depended on it. Eventually, though, he handed it over with a buzz of disappointment. "Sorry, Bumblebee, but your fingers are too big. You won't be able to hit the button. You, too, Bulkhead."

"Aw, man," Bulkhead complained, glaring down at his servos. "I never get to do anything cool."

Bumblebee hummed sadly in agreeance, something that sounded very much like 'me neither.'

Miko smiled at Raf. "Right, so you'll do it?"

"I'll try," he carefully explained. He waved a finger at her face. "But I'm _not_ getting myself killed just so you can get a picture."

Miko gave a thumbs up. "Deal. But be careful with it, I don't want to lose the pictures I've already got saved on it. Okay, B, let's go!" She giggled when Bumblebee shot up like an excited dog and said apologetically, "Sorry. Wrong B. Bulkhead, come on. I need to get home and start packing. Tokyo, here I come, I guess."

Bulkhead complied, following her importantly. He transformed and swung open his door; Miko hopped inside. As they sped off, Raf tucked the small pink phone into his back pocket.

"What do we do if someone calls?" Jack asked suddenly.

"She didn't say," Raf answered thoughtfully.


End file.
